The Thriving Xinyi District

The Xinyi District is where the offices of the city mayor and the city government of Taipei are found. It is also home to a number of shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, and famous landmarks like the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall, the Taipei World Trade Center, Taipei International Conference Center, and Taipei 101 or Taipei Financial Center. It is one of the most recently developed areas of Taipei and is one of the most modern districts in the city. It covers a total area of 11.21 square kilometers.

Xinyi District

The district is actually a merging of the southern part of Songshan District Railway Station and the northern part of Section 3 Heping East Road of Da’an District. These areas were merged in 1990 as part of the government efforts to improve management of the city by decreasing the number of its districs from 16 to 12.

The district is not only the seat of the city government but also an important economic center. Many offices and business establishments can be found here, such as the main branch of the Eslite Bookstore, the largest bookstore in Taiwan. If you love books, you will surely love going to Eslite. Standing at seven stories, it has a comprehensive collection of children’s books, simplified Chinese books, Japanese books, foreign magazines, and practically all sorts of books. It also has shops selling Apple products, stationery, and even clothes and accessories. Eslite has its own food court.

Shopping is one of the attractions of Xinyi District, and Xinyi New Life Square is the destination of choice for those who want the latest fashion designs. This massive complex with several malls connected by sky bridges helps set the fashion trend in Taipei. The entire complex is owned and operated by Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Taiwan’s largest department store chain. In Xinyi New Life Square, you can get items from famous high-end brands like Dior, Chanel, Prada, and others. You can also buy less expensive but good quality items.

Wufenpu is another shopping destination in the district. Wufenpu is located across Songshan station. It is Taipei’s biggest market for clothes and garments, and it has more than 100 shops, plus lots of vendors. Even though most of the items are offered in wholesale, individual shoppers can also buy goods. Fitting of clothes, however, is generally not allowed. The clothes here are very affordable. You will find apparel from Korea, Thailand, and Japan. You will also find other products like accessories, shoes, bags, and belts of different styles.

The Novel Hall for Performing Arts is another venue that draws people to Xinyi District. It has a mid-sized auditorium with 935 seats. It comes complete with a music rehearsal room, a drama studio, and a dance studio. There’s a courtyard and café right next to the Novel Hall for Performing Arts.

Xinyi District is accessible via MRT Blue Line. It is within walking distance from City Hall Taipei Station. You can also take buses going to Xinyi District Center, Taipei City Hall, Hyatt Hotel, or Taipei World Trade Center.

Sarah loves traveling the world. She started with a simple domestic trip and the rest was history, including her savings. She has been living around South East Asia for the past years and another continent looks to be her next destination.